Beaver
Beavers are large brown creatures with long buck teeth and flat tails that live in wooden lodges built on streams. They are much larger and stronger than cats, and they can chew apart wood and swim easily in water. Description Beavers are mostly aquatic animals, and also the largest animal from the rodent group in North America. Unlike other animals, male and female beavers weigh about the same amout, their mass ranging from 13 to 32 kg (28.6 to 70.4 lbs). Their length is also relatively the same, varying from 0.9m to 1.1 m (35.43 to 46.06 in).Information retrieved from animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu One of the most notable features of the beaver is the size of the skull and the teeth. These are both disproportionately large, but contribute greatly to the main job of the beaver: cutting wood. The upper incisors of the beaver are bright orange, and are at least 5 mm wide and 20-25 mm long, though they can be greater.Information retrieved from animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu These teeth grow throughout the beaver's lifetime, as they are constantly being worn down by the cutting of wood. It has twenty teeth in total.Information retrieved from library.thinkquest.org When a new beaver is born, it is about 38 cm long and 250 to 600 grams. The average life cycle of a badger varies from 10 to 20 years, though predators or disease can make it even less.Information retrieved from animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu The most distinguishing characteristic of a beaver is usually the broad, flat tail. This extraordinary tail can grow to 10 inches or longer, and can be 3/4 inches thick. It is covered in scales for hardness and helps the beaver slap its tail in the water or steady itself when cutting down trees.Information retrieved from library.thinkquest.orgThe beaver also has a waterproof skin, rich and glossy to help it repel water. The color can be reddish brown or blackish brown. Beavers also have hairs underneath that are much finer and help it keep warm in cold conditions. They also have longer hind legs than front legs, helping in swimming.Information retrieved from animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu Their toes are also webbed, another useful adaptation for swimming. Its toes end in claws, helping the beaver comb its fur.Information retrieved from library.thinkquest.org Relations to Clan Cats Beavers are neutral if needed, but if attacked, are hostile. Their instinct of cutting wood to build dams can harm the clan cats by cutting off their water supply. They do not block the water for malicious intents, but for their own reasons: to house their family and have a source of water for themselves. They are shown to be aggressive if needed, attacking the cats to get away from their dams. They also protect their families a lot, fighting to save them. They are also excellent fighters in the water, and will fight to the death if necessary. Book Mentions In the Omen of the Stars Series ''The Fourth Apprentice :Beavers are first sensed and mentioned by Dovepaw with her special power. She says that she saw big brown animals blocking the stream that flows into the lake, but no other cats believe her, because they have never seen or heard of such creatures before. They pass it off as made up to gain attention. :However, later, when the leaders agree to send a patrol upstream to see if something ''is blocking the water, Dovepaw is proven right, as there are brown animals there, building a wooden dam to create a large pool of water for them to build their homes. The cats come across a cat named Woody who informs the cats that the brown animals are called beavers. The warriors are determined to dismantle the dam so the trapped water can flow back to the lake and end the drought, but the beavers protect their work fiercely, and are much stronger than cats. The warriors learn that they cannot fight the beavers directly after they attempt to do so, and the RiverClan warrior Rippletail gains a large bite on the shoulder from a beaver and later dies from the wound. :The Clan cats realize that the only way to dismantle the dam is to get the beavers away from it, so they send the two WindClan warriors and Woody to run away from the dam and get the beavers to chase them, while the rest attack the dam. After a struggle, they are successful, and they free the water. They are not seen again. References and Citations Category:Creatures